"TMC is a new party in Goa. People are looking at it as an alternative to BJP," the GFP chief said.
The Goa Forward Party (GFP) has kept all the options open regarding the 2022 Goa assembly elections, its president Vijai Sardesai said on Wednesday when asked if the Goa-based party would ally with the new entrant Trinamool Congress (TMC) against the ruling BJP.
He neither confirmed nor denied when asked if the GFP would ally with the Mamata Banerjee-led party for the Goa polls, due in February next year.
The TMC recently announced that it would contest the Goa elections. Veteran Congress leader and MLA Luizinho Faleiro and others recently joined the Trinamool Congress. Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar too extended his support to the TMC.
"TMC is a new party in Goa. People are looking at it as an alternative to BJP," the GFP chief told PTI.
Mr Sardesai, whose party had helped BJP leader Manohar Parrikar form a government in Goa after the 2017 polls, fell out with the saffron party after Pramod Sawant took charge as Chief Minister in 2019 after the demise of Parrikar.
"We are asked whether we are going to form the government or will contest on ten seats and help BJP to form the government after election results," he said.
Mr Sardesai said the TMC is an uncompromising party and Goans are suggesting that we should check them out.
"The GFP has not taken any decision but we have kept the options open", he said.
When asked whether the GFP was considering a tie-up with TMC, Mr Sardesai said, "In the course of time, I will be able to tell you but at the moment all our options are open".